Bow-facing oar attachment.



v FA 4 v W (A "0. 636,653. Patented Nov. 7, I399. J. D. FOSTER. BOW FACING OAR ATTACHMENT.

(Application flled July 31, 1899.)

(No Model.)

NITED STATES BOW-FACING OAR ATTACHMENT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 636,653, dated November 7, 1899.

Application filed July 31, 1899.

To all whom it may concermv Be it known that I, JAMES D. FOSTER, of Chattanooga, in the county of Hamilton and State of Tennessee, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Bow-Facing Oar Attachments; and I hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification.

.This invention is an improvement in bowfacing oar attachments for row-boats; and its object is to provide an improved device whereby the oarsman may face the bow of the boat and yet propel the same in the direction in which he is facingjoy the same movement of the oar-handles which would ordinarily compel him to face the stern of the boat.

The invention is designed to give the greatest amount of leverage to the jointed cars and to enable the oarsman to manipulate them as readily as he might with ordinary cars and oar-locks and to dip the oars more or less in the water, as he pleases, and to take a longer or shorter stroke, as he pleases.

The invention is further designed to enable the oarsman to ship the oars conveniently and quickly out of the way when it is desired to stop rowing. 1

The invention therefore consists in the novel construction and combination of parts hereinafter described and claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherem- Figure 1 is a perspective view of the bowfacing oar attachment. Fig. 2 is a detail view indicating the different positions of the oars. Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing the oars shipped. Fig. 4 is a detail section.

A designates a casting which is adapted to fit over the gunwales of a row-boat, being provided with side flanges A for this purpose, and one or both of said flanges being provided with adjusting set-screws A by which the casting may be secured in place. Preferably these screws A are arranged only on the inner side of the casting. The outer side of the casting is provided with projecting ears a, which extend somewhat above the top of the casting and between which the oarcarrying plate B is carried, said plate having depending lugs B near its outer end, by which Serial No. 725,687. (No model.)

it is hinged between the ears a of casting A by a rod or bolt B To this plate B, just above the inside of the bolt B is pivoted the oar-blade casting Oby means of a bolt 0, and to the inner end of casting C is pivotally connected the oar-handle casting D, the castings O D being pivoted together by a bolt D as shown. The oar-handle casting D is provided with a pivot-bolt D, which works in a grooved slot 1) in plate B. Pivot 0, being fixed, necessitates that pivot D shall be movable. The outer extremities of castings O D are formed as may be best or preferred for the attachment of the oar-blade 0 and handle D. As shown, they are bifurcated, and the blade and handle are fitted into the bifurcations and secured thereto by bolts 0 and (1 as shown.

When the pivots O D are equidistant from the pivot D the leverage exerted on the handle will be about equally transmitted to the blade, and by varying the distance between the pivots C and D or D and D the amount of leverage may be varied, as is obvious. The slot b, in which the shifting pivot D operates, helps to increase the leverage upon the bladecasting, so that the apparatus is exceedingly efficient in transmitting the power to the blade.

Pivot-bolt D is provided on its under side near the plate B with a large washer D, by which the pivot is confined in the slot 1). The upper surface of the casting A is transversely recessed, as shown at a, for the accommodation of plate B when the latter is lowered 'to horizontal position, so as to relieve strain on the lugs. It is also further slotted transversely, as at a, and longitudinally, as at a within the recesses a to accommodate the movement of ,the nut or head (1 on the under side of the pivot D. The inner end of slot b is provided with an offset extension 19 into which the pivot D is entered when the car is to be shipped, as indicated in Fig. 2, and when the pivot D is entered in the slot (1 the oars will be in the position indicated in Fig. 3 and plate B and the oars can be turned up against the side of the boat, as indicated in said figure. Then the oars are thus shipped, they are out of the way of the oarsman or any one else in the boat and will at the same time be kept out of the water.

In the drawings I have illustrated simply the right-hand oar attachment; but the lefthand attachment would be similar, except that the direction of the curve or offset b of the slot in plate B is reversed on the lefthand oar-casting.

The simplicity of this construction of bowfacing oars and its effectiveness will be appreciated by those familiar with the art, and further explanation of its mode of operation is unnecessary.

Having thus described my invention, what I therefore claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent thereon, is

1. The combination of the supporting-casting, the plate pivoted thereto having a longitudinal slot, said slot having alateral extension near its inner end, an oar blade and casting pivoted to said plate, an oar-handle casting pivotally connected to said bladecasting and having a pivot or fulcrum working in the longitudinal slot in said plate and adapted to enter the lateral extension of the slot when the oars are shipped, substantially as described.

2. In a bow-facing oar attachment, the combination of a casting adapted to be secured to the side of a boat, and having a transverse recess in its top, a plate hinged to said casting and adapted to rest in the recess therein, said plate having a longitudinal L-shaped slot in its inner end, the oar-blade casting pivoted to said plate near its hinge, the oar-handle casting having a sliding fulcrum or pivot engaging the slot in said plate, said oar-castings being pivotally connected together, the fulcrum of said oar-casting being adapted to engage with the lateral extension of the slot when the cars are to be shipped, substantially as described.

3. In a bow-facing oar attachment,the combination of a casting having side flanges to engage the gunwale of a boat and formed with transverse recesses in its top, and laterally-projecting cars, a plate having depending lugs pivoted between the ears of the casting and having a longitudinal L-shaped slot in its inner end, the oar-blade casting pivoted to said plate near its hinge, the oar-handle casting having a sliding fulcrum or pivot engaging the slot in said plate, said oar-castings being pivotally connected together, the fulcrum of said oar-casting being adapted to engage with the lateral extension of the slot when the oars are to be shipped, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I affix my signaturein presence of two witnesses.

JAMES D. FOSTER.

I11 presence of T. J. GILLEsPIE, JNo. J. LIVELY. 

